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Japan star Kyogo Furuhashi nets hat-trick in first league start for Celtic

After making his Celtic debut from the bench, Kyogo Furuhashi has now scored four goals in his first two starts for the club following a hat-trick in Sunday's 6-0 win over Dundee in the Scottish Premiership. Steve Welsh/Getty Images

Japan international Kyogo Furuhashi has made an instant impact at Celtic, scoring a hat-trick in his first league start for the Scottish Premiership giants in Sunday's 6-0 win over Dundee.

Furuhashi, who arrived earlier in the summer from Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe, netted twice in the opening 25 minutes before completing his hat-trick seven minutes after the hour mark to lead his new team to a comprehensive victory.

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The result means Celtic are now up and running in the new campaign, having fallen to a shock 2-1 defeat to Hearts in their season opener the previous weekend -- a match where Furuhashi only featured as a substitute.

Having then been handed his first start by Ange Postecoglou in the midweek Europa League tie at Jablonec, Furuhashi repaid his manager's faith by scoring the second in a 4-2 triumph.

And his hat-trick against Dundee means the 26-year-old has now scored four goals in his first two competitive starts for a Celtic side looking to retain the Premiership crown this season, after their nine-year stranglehold on the title was ended by bitter rivals Rangers last term.

Furuhashi will be looking to continue his fine form in the return encounter against Jablonec on Thursday, as he looks to join a long list of Asian imports -- including Shunsuke Nakamura, Ki Sung-yueng, Cha Du-ri and Zheng Zhi -- to have enjoyed successful spells at Celtic Park.